Keep It Like a Secret
by marchioness10
Summary: Stephanie has grown tired of being a disappointment in the Burg. She's decided it's time to move on, and escapes her life in Trenton. Some things never change though. Her new life is proving just as dangerous as her old one. Eventual Babe fic.
1. Chapter 1

***All characters belong to Janet Evanovich with the exception of a few I've added in for fun.

**Gotta Move On**

*****FLASHBACK*****

The apartment was too quiet. Gone were the little sounds of Rex scurrying around in his cage and Mrs. Bestler manning the elevator down the hall. It was still, unmoving, and unchanging. I felt myself heave a sigh of disappointment as I bent down to pick up the last bag I had packed. I checked the bathroom for any items I had missed, and made my way to the front door to grab the rest of my belongings.

It was sad to think that I was leaving my life behind. I hated that it had come to this, but I was done. I was done being Joe and Ranger's toy, to use and discard whenever they didn't want me anymore. I was done trying to appease my mother and the rest of the Burg, and I was done trying to be something I wasn't. Perfect.

So I had planned the perfect escape. It took one month of intense planning and subversion to be able to plan this kind of escape under everyone's noses. I started with Mooner, who hooked me up with a forger he knew. I had new ID's made, including a new passport, all under the name of Elizabeth Wright. While initially cringing at the name I would have to get used to, I soon realized that it was perfect, namely because it was nothing like my real name. It would be difficult for Ranger to find me that way.

I then enrolled in some free Spanish night classes. I had to take the trackers off my car and out of my purse before I went each night, but it was well worth it. I needed to know the basics of the language. With classes and new IDs taken care of, the hard part came into play. I needed a place to go, and work to do to get me there.

I finally caved and asked Ranger to let me work at RangeMan full time. He was glad he didn't have to bleed as much money for my safety. I did the searches from 8-5 everyday, and worked my cases for Vinnie at night. I removed the trackers for a day trip and made my way into New York for a day, to set up Elizabeth Wright's new bank accounts, and to deposit my recent earnings. I was behind on sleep, but my bank account was looking healthier by the day. Once I had more than enough saved up for a down payment, I answered an ad in a newspaper in Spain, and set up the transfer of funds to secure a new loft in the heart of Barcelona.

While my approach was well calculated and executed, my emotions were in turmoil. The little sleep I did get was plagued by nightmares of past skips and angry conversations with my friends and family. I just didn't want to disappoint them any more than I already had. It was time for me to go. I just had to get away and move on with my life. They were better off without me anyway.

I quietly removed three letters from my purse and laid them on the counter next to Rex's cage. The 10 total trackers were placed beside them, and one more month's rent was next to that. I knew it would only be a matter of time before someone came looking. They would take care of Rex, and I would be long gone.

***END FLASHBACK***

Who knew that just looking at old pictures could bring back such memories? It had been a long year since I left Trenton, but I had finally gotten used to my new life in Barcelona, Spain. My Spanish was better than ever, and I had finally gotten into shape between walking everywhere and my new job.

I placed the pictures back in the little shoe box, and slipped it back under my bed. The light coming through the windows was warm on my tanned back and comforted me a little as I got up to start cleaning up the loft. I rose to start making the bed, just as I heard the faint sound of my locks tumbling on my front door.

A string of expletives was my first thought, but my new training soon kicked in and I pulled my glock and silencer from under my pillow and slipped to the right of my bedroom door, waiting for whoever was stupid enough to break into my loft, to show themselves. Measured footsteps drifted around the living room, into the kitchen, then towards the bedroom. I fell into a semi-crouched position and tightened my fingers around my gun, carefully controlling my breathing, lying carefully in wait for the intruder.

He passed through the doorway and crept to the other side of the room, obviously looking for something. I stepped out of my hiding spot and raised my weapon, while subtly checking for any obvious weapons. I figured he'd had enough time to look for whatever he came for.

"Are you done?" I asked, making my presence known.

He flipped around and stumbled back when he noticed my weapon. The fear was obvious on his face.

"I was just following orders! Please, don't hurt me!"

His sniveling was repulsive. At least he could send professionals to find his precious information. I was severely disappointed.

"Did you find what he wanted?" I asked with a smirk.

His flash of fear was enough to answer my question. His lack of information was going to get him killed, either way. I figured it was better that I save him the PuzzleMaker's torture. I raised my gun and fired two swift shots into his chest. The PuzzleMaker would just have to send somebody better if he wanted this information. I was going to take him down with it, and there was no way I was letting any of his cronies take it away from me.

I am no longer the weak Stephanie Plum. I am the new Stephanie Plum. My name is Elizabeth Walsh and I am a private investigator and contract killer.


	2. The Real World

***All characters belong to Janet Evanovich with the exception of a few I've added in for fun.

**The Real World**

I made it into the office with little time to spare. After the events of this morning, I had quickly made my way down to the bakery on the corner to get me some happy. I needed to calm down. Even though this past year had changed me drastically, I was still a little scared of my gun, and a lot scared of shooting people. It had to be done though. He could have told the PuzzleMaker something that would have gotten me killed, and I was too close to bringing down that scumbag to die right now.

I pushed open the reinforced glass door and shifted my black purse over my shoulder, while scanning the office to see who was in. Noticing that most everyone was here already, only made me feel guiltier for being late. So I shuffled inconspicuously over to my cubical. James, the P.I. that works next to me handed me a cup of coffee and filled me in on the gossip of the morning. Apparently Don, the boss, and the man who had graciously given me a job even with my "special circumstances" of having 2 identities, had gotten a phone call this morning that had the normally bouncing man shut up in his office.

I glanced sneakily at Dana, his secretary to gauge if she knew anything. She beckoned when she saw that I had finally arrived. I shot James a look that clearly said "Oh shit" and he sent me a sympathetic smile in return. I really hope he didn't find out about my *ahem* side job. That was my own demon to fight. I made my way to Dana's desk and she immediately stood to show me into Don's office. Wondering what had the executive staff in such a state, I entered the office to find Don with an impassive face. Not good.

"Sit, Lizzie."

I sat there without a word. I didn't need to voice my curiosity for him to understand my question.

"I received a phone call this morning from your father. His cancer has spread and he's requested that you come home to see him one last time before he passes." I felt my eyes prickle as the tears started to rise and I immediately put on my blank face and straightened my spine.

My father and I had been keeping in contact with each other through Don, who turned out to be a very good friend of my dad's from his Army days. I had known about his cancer for the past 8 months, but he had told me that he understood that I needed to get away, and wanted me to stay here until it was his time. The emotions and memories of my old life surfaced in one large wave and I was overcome with memories of Dad helping me up off the ground when I jumped off the roof trying to fly, Dad letting me play in his shaving cream when Mom went to the store, and Dad saying "I'm proud of you" when he found out I'd left.

I needed to see him again. I needed to see the one person who was always proud that I was different from the Burg norm.

I nodded at Don and requested 2 weeks of leave, which he granted immediately. I passed back out of the door and grabbed my purse from my cubical. I half walked, half ran back to my loft, not caring what the people around me thought, nor was I paying attention to my surroundings. I stumbled through my door and collapsed on the floor in the entry way. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. He wasn't even gone and I missed him immensely. I hadn't even seen him in a year! I felt like such a horrible daughter. After 2 0 minutes of sobbing, I was able to pull myself together enough to pack a suitcase and arrange a ticket with the airline.

As I packed my hair gel and mousse, I was struck with the fact that going home meant seeing everybody. It meant seeing Ranger and Joe for the first time in a year. That thought alone sent shiver through my spine. I wanted more than anything, to run back to Ranger and let him lock me in a safe house while he fought all my demons for me. This was a new me though, and the new Stephanie took care of herself and didn't let other people use her, except for the assassin network.

I pondered my current situation as I dropped my bags by the door and fished my passport out from under my bed. Upon arriving in Barcelona, I was broke. I had lacked the foresight of thinking to look for a job before moving. I had to find something, and soon, or else I wasn't going to be able to keep making rent.

I was sitting in a little café one day when a thin, handsome young man came and sat in front of me. We talked for hours. I don't know what it is that makes him so personable but I soon found myself spilling about my recent unemployment situation. He watched my face for a moment then began to whisper to me about an organization he was in that offered small jobs to be completed with large monetary rewards. I was immediately taken with his offer, readily accepting to come and meet with the boss.

That fact that the meeting was in an empty warehouse in a small warehouse district should have been my first clue that this was something that I didn't want to be a part of. The stupid half of my brain decided it didn't look too suspicious so I went in a met with the boss. After being briefed about what a "small job" actually meant, I freaked.

"You want me to KILL PEOPLE?" He looked irritated for a moment, then very smoothly slid a file out from underneath a stack on his desk. He slowly set his glasses atop his nose then began to read.

"Your name is Stephanie Plum. You were born in the Chambersburg section of Trenton, New Jersey, America. You have a mother, father, sister, two nieces and a brother in law. And, I saved the best for last, you have had relations with Ricardo Carlos Manoso-street name Ranger."

I sank into my chair, my mind whirring as I tried to figure out how it was that he knew who I was. He smirked at my obvious confusion and lent forward on his desk.

"You, Ms. Plum, are going to work for me. Yes. You, are going to kill people or else I will have to kill some people very close to you."

I left the meeting 30 minutes later with a folder for my first job and a sense of failure inside me. This is what I moved here to escape.

Since that night I had been doing the required jobs and collecting the blood money, all the while gathering information that was necessary to bringing this monster down.

Cringing at the crappy turn my life had taken, I zoned back into the present, taking a last look around my loft, making sure I didn't forget anything. With one last glance, I slipped out of my front door and made my way to the airport for my trip back home.


	3. Memory Lane

*****All characters belong to Janet Evanovich with the exception of a few I've added in for fun**.

**Thanks for all of the reviews! I love seeing responses **to** the story. **

**Stephanie's thoughts are in italics. **

**Memory Lane**

I spent most of the 7 and a half hour flight lost in my thoughts. The thought of going home thoroughly upset me. What was my mother going to say about my disappearing act? Would anyone even speak to me? A small jolt of turbulence jolted me out of my depressive state and I shifted my legs to a new position that allowed the blood to flow again.

I sighed and decided that I would cross that bridge when I came to it. For the moment, I just wanted to bask in memories; the memories that I tried to suppress every day. For once, I just let them flow through my mind, bringing smiles and grimaces. I settled on the last time I saw Joe and let that memory play out, seeming as if it had happened just yesterday.

_**FLASHBACK**_

_Oh man, my mother's going to kill me when she hears about this. No more cake for me. _

This was my only thought as I looked on at my sizzling Camry. The firefighters had just finished spraying down what was left of my car and were packing up the hoses. I pulled my eyes away from my poor dead car and made arrangements with a towing company to take it away and turned to flash an irritated look over my shoulder when I heard raucous laughter behind me. My face pulled into a grimace before I could stop it as I saw Joe make his way through the laughing cops and firefighters.

Joe stepped up to me then sent a look to the tow truck guy that had him departing pretty quickly. I sucked in a deep breath then waited for the inevitable "I need Maalox when I hear your name" speech. His resigned sigh shocked me though, and my eyes darted up to his face, wondering where his anger was.

"Steph, this is the third time in 2 months." I was still too baffled by his sadness to catch his tone and answered without really thinking.

"It's this stupid arsonist! I was so close to catching him and I only turned around for two minutes-"

"That's not the point Stephanie!" _I felt my hackles rise as the Italian anger showed itself. _

"Oh really? I thought that was the point, me catching bad guys, and you making sure they stay in jail! I'm just doing what I'm good at, Joe."

He snorted in disbelief before sucking in a deep breath and letting out the rant he'd been holding in.

"That's just it Steph, you're not good at it. You're terrible at it and..for God's sake I'm a fucking laughing stock at the station! None of the cops can make it through one conversation that doesn't poke fun at my accident prone girlfriend who can't do her job. "

By the end of his speech his face was a bright shade of red and his eyes were wild. I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I mean, I had wondered if he felt this way, but I was never sure, and I certainly didn't expect him to tell me. As I struggled to find something to say to that statement, the realization of what he had just said hit him. His hand reached out to touch my face, but I jerked away. I couldn't do this right now. I couldn't be here and for God's sake I couldn't cry in front of all of them. I was enough of an embarrassment.

Tilting me head upwards, I willed all of the tears to flow back into my tear ducts and I stiffly nodded to Joe and turned away. I had every intention of walking back to the apartment, anything to get away from these people. His hurried footsteps caught up with me and he sighed when I didn't turn to look at him.

"Steph, I didn't mean it. You know I didn't mean it. I love you, Cupcake. I just worry about you. "

I let go of a sigh I had been holding then turned to face him again. He seemed like he really didn't mean it. Maybe it was just his anger coming out again.

"Okay. I'm sorry about the guys at the station, Joe. "

"Don't worry about it, I can handle them. What are you doing tonight? You wanna grab Pino's and catch the game?"

_After the day I've had? Not really. _

"Not tonight, Joe. I've had the day from hell, and all I want is to go to bed and pretend this day never happened."

"C'mon cupcake, the boys really miss you. Come spent the night and we can call it even on this whole embarrassment thing."

_Whoa buddy, I KNOW he did not just go there._

"Excuse me? You're not seriously implying that I should come over and have sex with you to make up for whatever embarrassment I might have caused."

"Steph-"

"And to think, I was feeling sorry for you! I was upset that my work had a backlash on you! And now, you want to exploit that feeling so you can get laid? You're out of your mind! Fuck you and your boys!"

_God, when it rains, it pours. Could this day get ANY worse? _

I threw him a withering look then slipped off my heels and started my walk home. After 10 minutes of angry thoughts and fast-walking, a black Bronco pulled up next to the sidewalk, driving along beside me.

I shrugged my shoulder bag up higher on my shoulder and quickened my pace. All I wanted to do was get home. The passenger window rolled down, and an amused voice drifted out of the truck's interior.

"Babe, get in the truck."

I turned and looked at him while trying to decide if I was going to give up my "I hate men" anger and get in the car, or prove my point and walk home in protest. His lips tugged into a small smirk at my indecision.

"Babe."

I finally decided that I could always protest tomorrow, and the concrete was killing my feet, so I threw my heels through the open window, and then climbed into the truck. Batman had apparently turned off his mood radar today because he launched into questioning as soon as I got settled in.

"Do know who did it?"

"It was Samuelson. I was chasing him down the back alley in Jackson Street. I lost him after about 2 minutes, so I gave up and headed back to my car, only to find it in flames. The fire department said it was started by a Molotov cocktail in the front seat. Where he got one is beyond me. How does this always happen to me?"

His amused smile slipped away and his face went blank and I knew I probably wasn't going to like what he said next.

"Stephanie, I want you to take one of the men with you when you go after Samuelson again. This FTA seems a little more dangerous than most of your others."

I felt the anger bubble up as I recalled the conversation from not even an hour prior.

_Why does no one think I can do this? _

"I can catch him, Ranger. I don't need one of your men."

"Babe, the guy set fire to your car. He's an arsonist. One of the guys will be here in the morning, and stay with you all day."

"Why can't anyone believe that maybe, just maybe, I actually know what I'm doing? God Ranger, I thought that you, of all people, would understand that! Pull over."

His blank face stayed put as he drove the rest of the distance to my apartment, ignoring my demands for him to stop. When he pulled into the lot, I briskly opened the door and slammed it shut and made my way up to my apartment. As I unlocked the door, I prayed that the crazies understood that I had a shitty day and needed to be left alone tonight. I surveyed the room and relaxed when I knew that I was alone.

Since when did everyone think that I was so incompetent? I wasn't the best bounty hunter, but I always got my man! I spent hours running through the events of the day. The fight with Joe, the fight with Ranger and the horrible message my mother left on my machine, asking what she had done to deserve such a daughter. Why should I even stay here anymore. No one thinks I can do my job, my mother wishes I was a normal daughter, Joe wants to use me, and Ranger bleeds money every time I get a new crazy. I tossed and turned the rest of the night, trying to decide what I wanted to do, how I wanted to proceed with life.

By 6:30 a.m. I was exhausted and irritated and my sadness had turned to anger. I had finally come to a conclusion though.

_If I don't belong here, then I'll find somewhere where I do._

**END FLASHBACK**

The announcement of our arrival at Newark Airport jolted me out of my day dream. I hurried to get my wits about me then reached up to grab my carry on from the overhead bin. I guess it was time to head back to the real world. This time would be different though. I had learned to take care of myself, and I would show them all that I was no longer that weak Stephanie Plum. I was a fully trained, competent, capable woman, and I would show them all. It was the least I could do to honor my father.

****This is a bit of a filler chapter, just to set the background. We'll pick back up on the storyline next chapter. Thanks for reading!*****


	4. The First Piece of the Puzzle

*****All characters belong to Janet Evanovich with the exception of a few I've added in for fun**.

**Thanks for all of the reviews! I love seeing responses to the story. **

**Stephanie's thoughts are in italics. **

**The First Piece of the Puzzle**

Walking through the hallway that connected the plane to the gate, I ran through all of the things that I needed to do today. I had to rent a car for the trip back to Trenton, stop at Sunny's a get a new weapon for while I was here, get set up in a hotel, and check in with Don. I would be at my parent's first thing in the morning to see everyone.

I quickly made my way through the terminal and out into the baggage claim area, watching the people round me and making sure I had everything I came with. Reading through the signs of waiting cars, I noticed that there was a driver holding a sign with my new name on it. Surveying the driver, I decided that he didn't seem to be showing any "crazy" signs so I made my way over to him.

"Elizabeth Wright?" I stayed silent, just watching him.

"Don was right, you are a cautious woman. My name is John and I'm here to make sure you have everything you need for your trip."

At the mention of Don's name, I relaxed a little, extending my hand to exchange pleasantries. He reached around and took my bags while I got into the back seat of the car. Sitting on the other seat was a black briefcase with a 6 digit lock at the closure. As John got into the car and pulled out into airport traffic, I swiftly entered my true birthday and slipped the case open.

Don always knew me so well. Inside the case was a Beretta 9mm and a silencer, plus two sets of throwing knives and a stun gun. At least this cut down my to-do list for today. I quietly assembled the gun while staring out the window, watching as the familiar sights of my home state passed by. John looked a little antsy with the gun out so I slipped it into the small of my back and placed one set of knives at my ankle. The rest of the gear went back into the briefcase.

The rest of the ride to Trenton passed in silence. Me, lost in my thoughts of what was to come, and John lost in John-Land. When we passed the Trenton city-limit sign, I broke the silence and had John pull over at the first gas-station I saw. I was much happier for the rest of the trip, as I sat in the backseat with my tastycakes.

John pulled into the lot of a non-descript hotel outside the Burg. I let him grab the bags, and then we both went inside and paid for rooms for two weeks. Slipping quietly into my room, I looked around swiftly; checking for any obvious signs of danger, then made my way into the room and dropped my bags. With a great sigh I collapsed onto the bed, resuming my thinking position and drifting quickly to sleep, lulled by the sounds of the interstate not too far away.

I pried my eyes open early the next morning, grimacing when I stretched and sat up. It was 5:30, my normal waking hour and the beginning of what was probably going to be a long day. I quickly changed into my workout clothes and slipped the gun into an ankle holster that was hidden under my pants. Slipping my iPod headphones into my ears, I set out for my run.

When I first began training with the guys in the assassin network I had hated running. I usually ended up doubled over half a mile in. Now I could breeze through 5 miles and a cool down before breakfast. After breakfast was usually sparring and practicing at the range, but I would have to alter my schedule a bit while I was out of town. Setting off at a leisurely pace to warm up, I slipped into my own version of the 'zone' and didn't focus again until realized that I had made the couple mile loop around this part of town, and had ended up back at the hotel. I knocked on John's door and gave him the 45 minute warning and then went to take a shower.

As I slid my card into the reader on the hotel door, I realized that something felt off. My spidey senses were buzzing and I couldn't figure out why. I inconspicuously dropped my key card on the ground and dropped to pick it up, while carefully throwing a gaze over my shoulder. No crazed gunmen, no psycho bombers, nothing blaringly out of the ordinary. Then my eyes landed on something I should have noticed first thing this morning. A black SUV. The SUV had dark, tinted windows and was parked at the back of the lot, with a clear view of the entire hotel. My mind immediately flashed one thought:

Ranger.

I scrambled into an upright position again and jammed my key card into the reader as fast as I could, practically running into the room. What was I going to do? I wasn't ready to face him yet. What if he hated me after all this time? What if he hated who I became?

_Deep breaths Steph, you've got to keep yourself calm. You've handled worse than Ranger. Besides, you've changed, and you won't let him hurt you again. _

As I finished calming down my emotions, I made my way to the window and peeked out at the parking lot, seeking out his black SUV. I was surprised to see Tank ad Lester slipping on vests and arming themselves while casting glances towards my room.

_Why would they be arming themselves if they were just coming to pick me up? _

After my moment of confusion, it all clicked for me. They weren't after Stephanie Plum; they were after Elizabeth Wright, the assassin from Spain. Quickly realizing that this situation was going to get out of hand very quickly, I slipped the hotel desk chair under the door handle and haphazardly threw all of my belongings into my duffle bag. Running through my possible escapes, I finally landed on the window. It would be tricky and have to be timed exactly right, but I could escape in the inevitable confusion of their takedown. Placing my duffle by the window at the front of the room, I flipped over the little table that the hotel placed in the room and created a makeshift wall between the door and the window. Then it was time to wait.

Tank and Lester soon came slinking toward my door, searching the windows for signs of life. I slid my duffle over my shoulder and raised the lamp with baited breath. Eight seconds later, Lester rammed the hotel door with his shoulder and dust and wood chips splintered in all directions. At the same time, I threw the lamp through the window and hurriedly clamored out while they were searching the room through the dust and debris.

John was standing outside his room looking confused with the turn of events so I grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the car. We made it out of the parking lot just as Lester and Tank emerged from my former hotel room.

My mind was whirring. Apparently Ranger had found out the Elizabeth Wright was here and was charged with the task of "apprehending" me. How was I supposed to tell him that I was the killer he was after?

_Man, can this trip can any more complicated? _

I tried to let the monotony of the road lull my thoughts, but my life was getting was to messy, way too fast. I had a major assassin after crucial information, an ex-mercenary after my alias' head, and a normal life to try to lead.

_A day in the life of Stephanie Plum…some things never change. _

John soon pulled to the front of my parent's house where my mother and grandmother were standing by the door, pulled by their weird ability to sense company. Sucking in a deep breath, I pulled the handle on the door and stepped out of the car. Grandma Mazur immediately came outside and met me with a huge hug, whispering conspiratorially how things had been too quiet around here and that she was glad I was back to liven things up again. I found that the comments like this that had once spurred my departure, had now become comforting words that I associated with home. Grandma and I passed by my mother who was looking a little shell shocked, and made my way over to my father.

What had once been his favorite armchair in the living room was replaced by his hospital bed. The wires and tubes coming out from all directions had me immediately choked up and I slipped to my knees beside where he was laying. Grandma slid down beside me and filled me in on the doctor's latest prognosis. The cancer had spread into his blood and now it was only a matter of time before he left us. The events of the morning slipped away as I took in my dying father. This man was the only man that had ever believed that I was strong and perfect just the way I was, and now he was dying. I sat there for two hours, reliving memories and crying silently beside his still form, all the while noticing that my mother stayed in the corner, just watching.

After another half hour or so, I pulled myself together and stood to leave, promising Grandma Mazur that I'd return in the morning with doughnuts for everyone. As I made my way to the front door my mother stepped up behind me and grasped my arm in her frail hands.

"Stephanie, please, just tell me why." I looked at her for a moment, just processing what she was truly asking me.

"Because I couldn't be your kind of perfect."

She dropped my arm and I walked out the front door looking for John. The car had disappeared and he was nowhere to be seen. I scanned the street again and noticed why he wasn't here. Across the street stood Ranger, dressed head to toe in black and leaning ominously against a Bronco.

_I guess the "I've had a long, shitty day" vibe didn't transmit out to everyone that wanted to harass me today. I should have bought more tastycakes. _

I took off toward Ranger while sweeping the street for any sign of John. As I reached the Bronco, Ranger swept his eyes up my now toned form, finally landing on my eyes. He sighed and pulled a package from the truck's interior and handed it to me. While trying to keep my curiosity from showing on my face, I slipped open the package to find only one singular item, a puzzle piece. The small piece was unique though, in the fact that it held only a small picture of Ranger with a bright red X across his profile and a short message on the back.

_**Will you tell him, or shall I? **_

I slipped the piece back into the package and looked back into the eyes of Ranger, wincing when I realized he wasn't going to let this one go.

"Babe. We need to talk."

_Longest day of my life. _


End file.
